Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears Postgame Notes (11/23/14)

- With the Bears facing third-and three in the first quarter, DE Jacquies Smith dropped Chicago QB Jay Cutler for a one-yard loss. Smith now has 4.0 sacks on the season, all coming in the past four games.

- After a roughing the punter penalty extended Chicago’s drive, the Buccaneers defense responded by recording two more sacks. DT Clinton McDonald brought Cutler down for a 10-yard loss on first down. Then, on third down, DT Gerald McCoy sacked Cutler for a seven-yard loss, forcing a fumble that was recovered by McDonald at the Chicago 46-yard line.

- McDonald now has 4.0 sacks on the season and 9.5 in his career. The fumble recovery is his first of the season and the third of his career.

- McCoy now has a team-leading 7.5 sacks, the second-most by a defensive tackle in the NFL.

- Following McDonald’s fumble recovery, the Buccaneers drove 46 yards in six plays, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown reception by WR Mike Evans.

- Evans finished today’s game with three catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.

- Evans now has eight receiving touchdowns on the season, the second-most by a rookie and is tied for the seventh-most overall in team history. His four consecutive games with a touchdown reception matches the franchise record, done five times previously, most recently by Mike Williams (12/19/10 vs. Detroit- 9/11/11 vs. Detroit).

- At the end of the half, K Patrick Murray connected on a 32-yard field goal. He made a 39-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.

- The Buccaneers held the Bears to 68 yards and zero points in the first half. The 68 yards allowed are the fewest since allowing 64 at San Francisco (11/21/10). It is the team’s first first-half shutout since last season (9/29/13 vs. Arizona).

- WRs Vincent Jackson (five catches for 117 yards) and Louis Murphy (six catches for 113 yards) became the first pair of Buccaneers to have 100 or more receiving yards in a game since Jackson and Mike Williams did so in 2012 (12/23/12 vs. St. Louis, Williams:132, Jackson: 108).

- QB Josh McCown threw for 341 yards in today’s game, a season high and the sixth-highest total of his career. His 341 passing yards are the most by a Buccaneers quarterback since Josh Freeman in 2012 (372 vs. St. Louis, 12/23/12).